The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour Of America (2005) - Plot & Excerpts
Eric Idle! The musical Python not named Neil Innes! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!Well, a bit more, anyway. This diary follows Idle's idle musings as he travels westward across the US and Canada by Greedy Bastard bus (and high society hostelry). Professional travelogian and fellow Python Michael Palin would be proud of Idle's lush depictions of changing seasons and scenery, if not his lustful misogyny. Still, the author is a pleasant enough companion for all that, and these chronicles are as good a way of passing time in the bathroom as any.A "Greedy Bastard" tour is rock slang for a traveling show with minimal entourage, tech, and set, though I'm not sure Idle's hit-and-run production of ten wholly qualifies (and he implies that he may have just broken even). That's fine for the author, however, who claims to be doing the six month vaudeville stint primarily for the thrill of the last hurrah. In addition to his (frequently name-dropping) memories and meditations on death, there's more than a hint of poignancy here: I don't want to be an old drama queen and start with the "Farewell Tour" and "That last chance to see" bullshit, but on the prednisone night, the night I felt off, I glanced in the mirror and had a sudden vision of myself as Archie Rice, a character in John Osborne's play The Entertainer. Archie Rice is a sad, old music hall entertainer, condemned to a declining life on the vaudeville circuit, endlessly repeating his old jokes…. At the moment the show is still new for me, elevating and uplifting, thanks to the audience. But there is that specter in the mirror, an old man wearing too much makeup. (pp. 86-7) This book will be worth your while if you're a Python fanatic like me, and you may even enjoy it if you have at least a passing interest in the backstage insights of a veteran thespian (there's a nice epilogue in which Idle synopsizes the process of bringing Spamalot from page to stage). Idle's optimistic worldview (always look on the bright side) is infectious, and you'll be right chuffed for him when he writes (at p. 265), I feel now that I am finally a comedian…. There is a world of difference between being a comedian and a comic actor. You use many of the same skills: timing, multiple voices, looks, takes, and so on, but being alone onstage is the key…. Of course I am lucky. I don't come on alone. I have the ghosts of the Pythons with me, and the audience is already alive and warm and welcoming and buzzing with expectation… but I still have to make them laugh. And that is something I have learned how to do on this tour. If you've got a pot to piss in and space along the back of it not yet filled with old magazines, you could do worse than to go along for the ride.
Originally posted here as part of the 30 Day Book ChallengeThis category is kind of silly, because it makes the assumption that people don't generally read or enjoy non-fiction. What I DON'T usually read are biographies (not for any particular reason, I am just not a huge fan). Most of the non-fiction books I read are collections of essays, but when it came down to it, I knew exactly which book I was going to choose for this category (although it was close, and this was the runner-up). A Non-Fiction Book I Actually Enjoyed It's no surprise that I'm a Python (Monty) fan to any of you, if you've read the blog for any period of time at all, you'll know that.I wasn't even sure what I was expecting from this book when I started reading it, all I really knew was that my husband had purchased it for me and brought it home because he thought I would enjoy it.It's exactly what the title claims it is, Eric Idle's diary from the 2003 Greedy Bastard tour. It's not about the other Python members, it's his daily diary entries during the fall of that year.Mixed in with the expected silliness are some truly touching stories as he reminisces during his daily letters to himself (and us). I had to put the book down and walk away for a bit as he remembered his friendship with the late George Harrison on the anniversary of his death.Few people can manage to discuss friendship with such clarity, to be able to impart what that friendship meant to them to their readers, and I had no idea something like this could come from one of my favourite funny men.Parts of it made me uncomfortable (he's kind of a lech, really), but for the most part it was a highly satisfactory read.Even if you don't read the whole thing, take a look at what he has to say about my favourite Beatle and try to walk away without a lump in your throat.I dare you.
What do You think about The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour Of America (2005)?
If you're looking for straight-up comedy, go watch "The Holy Grail" again. This is a diary of an actual person who has good and bad days, just like all of us. In fact, parts of it were very difficult to read, especially on the anniversary of his good friend George Harrison's death.Perhaps the only thing that keeps me from rating this book higher was that I felt that there was a lot of name dropping. I love Eric and the Pythons and I wish them all well, but I do sometimes get cranky when people wax poetic about luxuries the average fan will never know. But maybe I'm just cranky because I have bronchitis.
—Amy
Eric Idle still remains a very funny individual, and this is clear in this book. It contains the diary he kept while traveling America and Canada on his most recent stand-up tour, and it proves to be funny, interesting, and in some cases quite poignant (especially as he reflects on his good friend, George Harrison). If you're expecting Python out of this book, you may be disappointed; but if you're looking for an amusing account of what it's really like to be stuck on a bus for some 70-odd days traveling the country, then this might be for you.
—Brittany
Now that I'm in the reviewing mood, I'd like to go back and say a few words~* about this book. I expected it to be a daily account of life on the road with his show, and was surprised to find that he went off on so many tangents and ended up writing about various memories, events, etc that popped into his head. But I loved it. I was especially surprised to discover how honest, heartfelt, and sad a lot of it was... especially when he was talking about his childhood, his family, and his relationship with George Harrison. I got emotional many a time. It made me love and care for Eric that much more... although, on the other hand, it did feel like at times he was maybe trying too hard to be funny - for instance, the random jokes on the sides of the pages were completely unnecessary and all of that sort of thing just reminded me that Michael Palin is my favorite Python for very valid reasons. But I do love Eric and I think any fan would enjoy this book.
—Slaa!!!
